In 1856 a little more than three-fourths of all our exports and imports were carried in American bottoms. In 1881 seventy-two million bushels of grain were shipped from New York to Europe, and not one bushel of it went in American ships.
Less than one-sixth of our marine freight was handled by ourselves in 1881, and the amount has gone on dwindling.
Great Britain improved her methods of building ships; built cheaper and better vessels than ours. The law did not permit us to buy from her, but did permit her to bring her ships into our waters and capture our trade; and so she captured it.
We are the only people in the world who are not allowed to buy ships wherever we can buy them cheapest. We are the only serfs alive who are chained hand and foot to obsolete Navigation laws. And to escape the logical consequences of our folly we do not propose to repeal the monstrous laws which led us into the difficulty, but we do propose to compel the taxpayers to make good, by subsidies, the difference between the costly American ship and the cheaper, better European ship!
When statesmanship gets down to that low ebb its morality is gone.
A venal Congress may pass such a measure, but we do not believe an honest President will sign it.
Hearst, the Myth
Because he is not perpetually making an exhibit of himself, a good many shallow politicians sneer at W. R. Hearst and call him a myth.
Because he is not everlastingly on his feet reeling off speeches which come from nowhere and go nowhere, the average regulation “orator” looks down upon the modest, silent man from New York as a very inferior mortal, indeed.